Fair Use Note

WARNING for European visitors: European Union laws require you to give European Union visitors information about cookies used on your blog. In many cases, these laws also require you to obtain consent. As a courtesy, we have added a notice on your blog to explain Google's use of certain Blogger and Google cookies, including use of Google Analytics and AdSense cookies. You are responsible for confirming this notice actually works for your blog, and that it displays. If you employ other cookies, for example by adding third party features, this notice may not work for you. Learn more about this notice and your responsibilities.

Thomas Paine

To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

30 September - Blogs I'm Following II

FORT MEADE, MD - DECEMBER 17: An activists holds a 'Free Bradley Manning' sign outside the main gate to Fort Meade December 17, 2011 in Fort Meade, Maryland. An Article 32 hearing for Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is being held at the fort and will determine if a general court martial can be held for Manning who leaked military documents on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and US State Department cables to WikiLeaks. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 14: Former Central Intellegence Agency (CIA) analyst Ray McGovern joins members of Code Pink for Peace in front of the U.S. State Department to protest the resignation of State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley and the detention of U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning March 14, 2011 in Washington, DC. Two days after saying the treatment of accused WikiLeaker Bradley Manning was 'ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid,' Crowley resigned. The demonstrators stripped their clothing off to protest against the treatment of Manning, who has been allegedly held naked in a Marine Corps base in Virginia after being accused of leaking information to the Wikileaks website. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 14: Code Pink for Peace organizer Medea Benjamin protests the resignation of State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley and the detention of U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning in front of the U.S. State Department March 14, 2011 in Washington, DC. Two days after saying the treatment of accused WikiLeaker Bradley Manning was 'ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid,' Crowley resigned. The demonstrators stripped their clothing off to protest against the treatment of Manning, who has been allegedly held naked in a Marine Corps base in Virginia after being accused of leaking information to the Wikileaks website. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 14: Code Pink for Peace demonstrators are watched by police as they stand in front of the U.S. State Department to protest the resignation of State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley and the detention of U.S. Army Private Bradley Manning March 14, 2011 in Washington, DC. Two days after saying the treatment of accused WikiLeaker Bradley Manning was 'ridiculous and counterproductive and stupid,' Crowley resigned. The demonstrators stripped their clothing off to protest against the treatment of Manning, who has been allegedly held naked in a Marine Corps base in Virginia after being accused of leaking information to the Wikileaks website. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

FORT MEADE, MD - DECEMBER 17: Artist Seth Tobocman works on a sketch of Army Pfc. Bradley Manning outside the main gaits during a rally December 17, 2011 in Fort Meade, Maryland. An Article 32 hearing for Army Pfc. Bradley Manning is being held at the fort and will determine if a general court martial can be held for Manning who leaked military documents on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and US State Department cables to WikiLeaks. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Rally in support of Bradley Manning on August 8, 2010, in Quantico, Virginia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Protesters stage a demonstration against US policy at Guantanamo Bay detention camp, in Parliament Square on May 25, 2011 in London, England. The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and his wife Michelle are in the UK for a two day State Visit at the invitation of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Last night they attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace and today's events include talks at Downing Street and the President will address both houses of parliament at Westminster Hall. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Protesters stage a demonstration against US policy at Guantanamo Bay detention camp, in Parliament Square on May 25, 2011 in London, England. The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and his wife Michelle are in the UK for a two day State Visit at the invitation of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Last night they attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace and today's events include talks at Downing Street and the President will address both houses of parliament at Westminster Hall. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

Tsk. But not from pressure from Canadians outraged by 'child soldier' fairytales that included testimony later recanted too late to avoid indefinite detention and torture without trial - which Canadian weasels masquerading as government not only did not complain about but said such was improper or some such. Harper and the boys are still not in the clear for Canadian forces kettling Afghans into torture either. It seems o.k. by them - just like kettling Canadians outside negotiations signing away sovereignty at G7 conferences. What the heck. Canadian 'media' certainly weren't interested in proper procedure.

As
the scarcity of petrol bites harder nationwide, there are reports that
the product now sells for between N110 and N150 per litre in different
parts of the country, as against the regulated price of N97.

*An aid minister has accused the EU of squandering hundreds of millions of
pounds of British taxpayers’ cash on countries that are too wealthy to need
help.
*
Alan Duncan said that while he shared the public’s anger over the massive
spending, the UK was being ‘forced’ to hand over huge amounts of money –
but then has no say over how it is spent.
Last night, however, a fellow Tory accused Mr Duncan of crying ‘crocodile
tears’, because he had done nothing to reduce the EU aid bill despite
having been in office for the past two years.
One sixth of Britain’s aid budget – some £1.4billi... more »

*New City jobs have plunged by 15% within a month, according to a survey
released after a scathing review of the Libor scandal.
*
Research showed 2,490 job vacancies appeared in September, down from 2,925
in August.
The City slide comes after a steady summer job market, according to data
compiled by an international recruitment firm.
"The last quarter has seen two of the UK's most successful banks put in the
stocks, the widening of the Libor scandal and announcements by a number of
banks to continue to scale down their investment banking operations," Mark
Cameron, Chief Operating O... more »

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS at a depth
of 621.8 km (386.4 miles), the quake hit at 01:36:26 UTC Monday 1st October
2012
The epicenter was 506 km (314 miles) Northwest of Raoul Island, New Zealand
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has struck OFF THE COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA at a
depth of 10.2 km (6.3 miles), the quake hit at 01:32:33 UTC Monday 1st
October 2012
The epicenter was 451 km (280 miles) Southeast of Isla del Coco, Costa Rica
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
at a depth of 53.2 km (33.1 miles), the quake hit at 01:00:49 UTC Monday
1st October 2012
The epicenter was 95 km (59 miles) Northeast of Miyako, Japan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

Don't worry about Wall Street. They're all set. No matter who wins the
presdiency, no matter which one of the corrupt Beltway party establishments
is in charge of Congress, Wall Street will be well taken care of. Sure,
they would have loved to have had one of their own in the White House and
to have placed their own little Frankenstein monster in as VP. But Obama
hasn't really given them anything serious to worry about and they'll be
perfectly fine with a corporate whore and investment bankster like Erskine
Boyce Bowles-- currently on the boards of General Motors, Morgan Stanley,
... more »

Welcome to Meet & Greet Monday!
Banner by Art Ist
Grab our banner for your site:
Do you have an Eco-friendly blog or site? Do you occasionally write about
the environment or ways to live green? If you answered yes to any, you're
invited to link up. Here are the rules:
1. If you have a green-living blog, site and/or write about the
environment, sustainability, etc., please use the "linky" below to list
your site.
2. If you only occasionally write about green living, please use tags such
as "green", "Eco", "Environment", etc. and then link to that col... more »

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck SOUTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA at a depth
of 35 km (21.7 miles), the quake hit at 23:04:43 UTC Sunday 30th September
2012
The epicenter was 94 km (58 miles) WSW of Kuqa, China
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck the MOLUCCA SEA at a depth of 58.1 km
(36.1 miles), the quake hit at 22:47:25 UTC Sunday 30th September 2012
The epicenter was 142 km (88 miles) NNW of Tobelo, Indonesia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake has struck NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
at a depth of 15.8 km (9.8 miles), the quake hit at 22:39:16 UTC Sunday
30th September 2012
The epicenter was 74 km (45 miles) ESE of Ishinomaki, Japan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck KOMANDORSKIYE OSTROVA, RUSSIA REGION
at a depth of 30.4 km (18.9 miles), the quake hit at 21:49:27 UTC Sunday
30th September 2012
The epicenter was 116 km (72 miles) East of Ust'-Kamchatsk Staryy, Russia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck the NORTH INDIAN OCEAN at a depth of
15 km (9.3 miles), the quake hit at 20:43:38 UTC Sunday 30th September 2012
The epicenter was 685 km (425 miles) WSW of Banda Aceh, Indonesia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

Crochet hats, chairs, chalk art, the ideas for photos are seemingly
endless. This year, I am participating with The Nester as she blogs 31 days
about the same topic. There are few things in the the world that I think I
could blog 31 posts about, but my passion is and always will be
photography, so I thought I would share some of those ideas with you.
During the month of October, every day I will share a short and sweet post
about something fun you can do with your next photo shoot, some will be
straight up props and others will be fun things you can find at certain
locations. Some... more »

Have to give Chris Wallace some credit here for trying to pin down Paul
Ryan on the math of his secret, very serious, tax plan. But the Exalted
Grand Wizard of Wonkiness can't be bothered with the details:
RYAN: It’s revenue neutral. [...]
WALLACE: But I have to point out, you haven’t given me the math.
RYAN: No, but you…well, I don’t have the time. It would take me too long to
go through all of the math. But let me say it this way: you can lower tax
rates by 20 percent across the board by closing loopholes and still have
preferences for the middle class. For things like charitabl... more »

"Galaxies don't normally look like this. NGC 6745 actually shows the
results of two galaxies that have been colliding for only hundreds of
millions of years. Just off the above digitally sharpened photograph to the
lower right is the smaller galaxy, moving away. The larger galaxy, pictured
above, used to be a spiral galaxy but now is damaged and appears peculiar.
Gravity has distorted the shapes of the galaxies.
*Click image for larger size. *
Although it is likely that no stars in the two galaxies directly collided,
the gas, dust, and ambient magnetic fields do interact directly... more »

* *
*"Six Impossible Things"*
by Chet Raymo
"It is morning. Early morning. I am sitting at my desk with my laptop open
before me. The shelves are lined with books. At my elbow, the big glass
windows looking out to Dingle Bay. On the sill, morning glories and
tomatoes. At my other elbow, a mug of coffee. In an hour or two I'll have
breakfast. This is my White Queen time. "But one can't believe impossible
things," cries Alice, in frustration. "Why sometimes I've believed as many
as six impossible things before breakfast," replies the White Queen smugly.
If I can believe six impossi... more »

In connection with the recent largest-in-history people’s protest for the
protection of the Diaoyu Islands, Taiwan’s “Coast Guard” has dispatched
over 10 naval ships in escort, including 100 ton, 500 ton, 1000 ton, and
2000 ton warships as well as established an emergency contingency center
and command headquarters, to protect the fishing vessels.
With regards to the people protesting for the protection of the Diaoyu
Islands, Taiwanese authorities have also given approval and support. Ma
Ying-jeou expressed on the 24th that Taiwanese fishermen have been catching
fish in the waters ... more »

Worth
close reading. There is no doubt the growth of Antarctic sea ice is
counter intuitive:
http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/antarctic-sea-ice-reaches-greatest-extent-so-late-in-season-2nd-largest-extent-on-record/2012/09/28/472625d8-098e-11e2-a10c-fa5a255a9258_blog.html
Almost
two weeks ago, Arctic sea ice extent shrank to a stunning record low.
Yet, at the other end of the planet, Antarctic sea ice is nearing or
breaking records for largest extent.
At face value, it's remarkable to see such contrasting extremes in sea
ice
cover on opposing sides of our p... more »

Yes, it is Sunday again, and it is time for my weekly rant...
There has been so much said about the recent speeches given by both the
President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and the insane Prime Minister of
Israel, Benyamin Milikovsky at the United Nations General Assembly this
week, but I figure I would throw in my 2 cents worth...
First, I listened very closely to the speech made by Ahmadinejad, and in
spite of all the vilification by the Jewish run media, this man made sense
in everything he presented. He is not seeking any war, or sees any need
for war in the Middle East. He ... more »

Shorter this guy: Pragmatic liberals are being mean to me because I have
unrealistic expectations so I going to whine about their lack of purity and
call them names. No idea who he is, but he called Doug J a Manichean monster.
I'm so tired of self-proclaimed hippies claiming to be punched because they
didn't get the damn pony they expected, much less the unicorn they dreamed
of and practical liberals point out that's not a realistic goal. Probably
shouldn't have bothered but I left the woebegone "lifelong" pacifist this
in his comments:
I see this long post that tells me what per... more »

*Homeland's sensational Damien Lewis*
*"The advantage that English people have and that I have is that we grow up
with so much American television. We're all used to hearing it all the
time. And the other advantage is Americans are not used to growing up with
television from anywhere else or hearing any other accent, so they assume,
they are much more forgiving of someone's bad accent."*
*-- Dominic West, The Wire's Jimmy McNulty*
*by Ken*
Of course my pleasure in anticipating the premiere of the show in the above
group I really love, *The Good Wife*, is tempered by the traditional... more »

Most of us didn't come here to meditate our lives away in a cave and get
all spiritual and enlightened in that way... we came here to experience the
physical human experience... ALL of it! The laughter, the tears, the joy,
the anger… ALL of it! Living a Life of Joy is not about challenges not
arising... it's about loving it ALL and constantly shifting to the higher,
broader perspective because you know that everything is in divine order and
orchestration... that's how you stay joyful and enlightened! ~ ♥ Sierra
Goodman ♥ ~ http://goo.gl/z9YwE

Bill Moyers 30 minute expose' on the American Legislative Exchange Council
is not the end - it is just a piece of the process, a very scenic view
along the road.
*We need to stay vigilant and keep telling the ALEC story.*
This entry's topic came up while I was watching Moyers report.
If you haven't seen it - watch it >>>HERE<<<
This is a little ditty about the National Chariman of the ALEC Private
Sector Board.
*National Chairman*
Mr. W. Preston Baldwin
Centerpoint360
Centerpoint360 is a lobbying firm based in Greenwich, CT.
NOTE THIS ONE
HE IS THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
*From his Linke... more »

*
* *
* *I thought I might read this on David Icke's site, but not The Atlantic!
LOL!!! As if my weekend wasn't weird enough as it is...someday I will have
to tell you about this weekend. -AK*
While the underlying concept is good, the typical foil helmet fails in
design and execution. An effective Faraday cage fully encloses whatever
it's shielding, but a helmet that doesn't fully cover the head doesn't
fully protect it. If the helmet is designed or worn with a loose fit,
radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation can still get up underneath the
brim from below and reveal your i... more »

Peter Schiff, “The Real Fiscal Cliff: How to Spot the Ledge”
"Archived from the live Mises.tv broadcast, this lecture by Peter Schiff
was presented at the Mises Circle in Manhattan: "Central Banking, Deposit
Insurance, and Economic Decline." Includes an introduction by Llewellyn H.
Rockwell, Jr. Music by Kevin MacLeod."
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ptMrAgWqRfg#!
•
Ok... wonky, yes. Important, yes. Who said life was simple?
- CP

From the Whatreallyhappened.com website, written by Mike Rivero: "VIRTUAL
9-11: Will Israel Hack The US Banking System Computers and Falsely Blame It
On Iran?" http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/virtual9-11.php
Help Us Transmit This Story
Add to Your Blogger Account Put it On Facebook Tweet this post
Print it from your printer Email and a collection of other outlets Try
even more services

The media has been talking up Libertarianz in recent days. Mostly as a
means by which to bash John Banks, but amidst Banks-bashing there are both
truth and lies—and good points and bad.
No one could be unaware that ACGT’s meltdown has left a yawning gap where a
National coalition partner used to be. TV3, NBR and the *Sunday Star Slime *have
all had pieces arguing once the corpse of ACT is finally taken out the back
and buried then Libz, or a new vehicle including Libz, should be the next
big thing. I’ve been arguing that the coming GFC2.0 and the failure of this
National governme... more »

.
Make no mistake, smoothie David Cameron is cut from exactly the same clothas the now-reviled Tony Blair.
We might wonder at the soul of a man who can drag his country into an
illegal war that has almost certainly killed over a million people, then
parade himself around the globe as a would-be uniter of the world's
religions and a peace envoy, of all things, in the middle east....
....but what are we to make of a man, another 'smoothie', who actively
funds and supports a violent 'opposition' in a war against an elected
foreign government (a war that has killed many thousands, incl... more »

The Bureau Investigates
Chris Woods
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has bluntly rejected claims by the Obama
administration that it tacitly approves CIA drone strikes on its territory,
saying that ‘drone attacks are illegal, counterproductive, in contravention
of international law and a violation of Pakistani sovereignty.’
The remarks came after the Wall Street Journal revealed that US claims of
legality appear built on a monthly fax from the CIA to its ISI counterpart
which goes unanswered, and on Pakistan’s apparent acceptance of ’no fly
zones’ over the tribal areas which enable t... more »

*"What I Have Learned So Far"*
"Meditation is old and honorable, so why should I
not sit, every morning of my life, on the hillside,
looking into the shining world? Because, properly
attended to, delight, as well as havoc, is suggestion.
Can one be passionate about the just, the
ideal, the sublime, and the holy, and yet commit
to no labor in its cause? I don't think so.
All summations have a beginning, all effect has a
story, all kindness begins with the sown seed.
Thought buds toward radiance. The gospel of
light is the crossroads of- indolence, or action.
Be ignited, or be gone."... more »

Sunday, 30 Sep 2012 15:14:58 -0400
*[Maybe I'm reading more into this than is there, but I think Poof
including this song is a hint about those mystery Chinese and US ships off
of San Francisco. -AK]*
Ride Captain Ride Lyrics
by The Blues Image
Seventy-three men sailed up from the San Francisco Bay
Rolled off of their ship, and here's what they had to say
"We're callin' everyone to ride along to another shore
We can laugh our lives away and be free once more"
But no one heard them callin', no one came at all
'Cause they were too busy watchin' those old r... more »

*[image: _hugh-pavletich-sml]It is hoped there will be a major government
announcement on housing supply by the end of October. Hugh Pavletich says **the
Roost Home Loan Affordability Report** released Friday demonstrates why a
major announcement, and a major govt rethink, is urgently needed.*
NEW ZEALANDERS ARE GETTING “screwed” on housing. Let’s compare
Christchurch and Auckland with, let’s say, the housing markets of Houston,
Dallas, Fort Worth,and Atlanta--using a simple "mixed measure" reflecting
the cost of money and housing, current interest rates, and median house
prices ... more »

*"The Economics Of War: The Real Story"*
By Shobhit Agarwal
“Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired
signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not
fed, those who are cold and not clothed. This world in arms is not spending
money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its
scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in
any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging
from a cross of iron.”
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
*Fact list-1:*
• Almost half the w... more »

*Hilarion: You Are Your Own Greatest Treasure*
As channeled by Marlene Swetlishoff/Tsu-tana – 30 September, 2012
http://www.therainbowscribe.com/hilarion2012.htm
Beloved Ones,
A great many of you are experiencing fear in ways that did not bother you
before. Know that you are picking up on the fears of the mass consciousness
field and that you have control over your mind and your thoughts. At such
moments all you have to do is remember that you are always surrounded by a
legion of Angels.
There is no place upon this Planet that you walk alone. As you have trodden
upon your spir... more »

* "US Military Deaths in Afghanistan Hit 2,000"*
by AP
KABUL, Afghanistan — "The killing of an American serviceman in an exchange
of fire with allied Afghan soldiers pushed U.S. military deaths in the war
to 2,000, a cold reminder of the perils that remain after an 11-year
conflict that now garners little public interest at home. The toll has
climbed steadily in recent months with a spate of attacks by Afghan army
and police — supposed allies — against American and NATO troops. That has
raised troubling questions about whether countries in the U.S.-led
coalition in Afghanistan... more »

The media is beginning to predict more than just an Obama win next
month;
words like "blowout" and "landslide" are being bandied about. It looks
like
Obama could well take all the states he won against McCain other than
Indiana. North Carolina is still too close to call... but Arizona is
movingin a blue direction and if Obama decided to start advertising
there, he
could probably take it. Recent polls point to the nail in Romney's
coffin:
Obama up 10 points in Ohio, 9 points in Florida and 8 points in
Virginia.
I'm sure the Cayman Islands would make him and Ayn and Duke and Duchess
i... more »

*
* *10-1-2012 Corner is Turned…Enjoy this Ride*
30 September 2012
10-1-12 corner is turned. Intentions held in alignment with 5D Gaia portals
and connecting grids will not be delayed. And appear in the moment of held
intention.
We ask care in aligning Higher Individual Hue-man Self with New Paradigm
Gaia pattern of unfoldment.
The 10-1 portends massive transformation for Gaia and Children. Both of the
internal and apparent external. Such rests upon combined intentions of all.
Grids are energized sufficiently in Higher D aspects for such
transformations to begin.
Enjoy this ... more »

*"World War 3 Conditioning in La La Land"*
by Zen Gardner
"The hypno-induced psychotic public can’t even hear the war drums any more,
no matter how loud and obvious. They’re intoxicated with intense,
repetitive and confusing war propaganda and images of overthrown
dictatorships that have only given birth to more chaos.
But that’s OK in La La land. All the distracted dystopian subjects can hear
is that for some reason American boots march unopposed into far regions of
the world, protecting liberty and democracy. So “keep up the good work,
boys. Honey, put the game back on, I have... more »

Ann Romney Worries About Mitt’s ‘Mental Well-Being’ If He Wins And we can
depend on at least one of Ronald Reagan's scions to provide the necessary
witty denouements (and, surprise!, a little common sense (I hear it skips a
generation)). Ron Reagan: Poll Truthers Smoking ‘Giant Crack Pipe’ in Fox
News Green Room By David Edwards Friday, September 28, 2012 (Video from
MSNBC’s Hardball,

*Euan Blair, 'son of Tony and Cherie Blair'.*
Euan Blair is a controversial character. (Euan Blair Made Me Pregnant !)
Euan Blair is readying to become a Member of Parliament.
*Euan Blair, whose mother is Cherie Blair.*
"I always thought Euan resembled Cherie's lover Derry Irvine more than he
ever did her husband."
*Names of the powerful often misrepresent their real progeny* at the tap 30
September 2012.
*Lord Irvine, who has links to the spooks.*
In Robert Harris's book, *The Ghost*, *the UK prime minister is a CIA agent*,
groomed for the leadership of the Labour Party.
The... more »

Dismantling *The Atlantic Monthly* Reform Manifesto
2nd Installment
I.
I introduced the *The Atlantic's* Reform pamphlet ("22 pages...") by
focusing on the presentation of content. But, I regret to say I left out
what might have been the most important part: the "cover" of the section.
It's a TEST BOOKLET! Surprised?
II.
Now, this is clearly ideological content on all levels. There is ZERO
subtlety here. How is this possible? For whom are these articles written?
Surely these writers and these editors must realize that they are writing
a very obvious form of "persuasion" ... more »

This video was posted Sep 3, 2011. It is worth reviewing. The editor's
comments points out anomalies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb9p0-S-dSg&lc=UBiRoAwC2inVguOvZG9sViwmPDP7Rbywck4u2Ad270E&feature=plcp

KURZWEIL
ACCELERATING INTELLIGENCE is a thoughtful site, with a post by Amara D.
Angelica, "Welcome to 2035…the Age of Surprise" that is worthy of
perusal. Since its creation in 2001, Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence
—
explores the forecasts and insights on accelerating change articulated
in Ray Kurzweil’s landmark books — notably The Age of Spiritual Machines
and The Singularity Is Near

*(Reuters) - A large earthquake shook Colombia on Sunday, rattling
residents in the southwest of the Andean nation, but there were no reports
of deaths or major damage, authorities said.*
The 7.1-magnitude quake had its epicenter in the southwestern province of
Cauca with a depth of about 103 miles, Colombian officials said.
"So far there are no reports that there has been damage to any part of the
country, only reports that it was felt," Jaime Raigosa, coordinator of the
National Seismological Network, said. "Fortunately, the quake was deep."
The U.S. Geological Survey had reporte... more »

There's much to like about what George R.R. Martin does in his juggernaut
of a fantasy franchise: his juggling of a ginormous cast of compelling
characters, his willingness to kill and maim those characters in horrible
ways, and his relentless critique of the way that high fantasy handles
class and gender.
I appreciate that there's something barking mad about demanding 'realism'
in fricking *high fantasy*, but medieval Europe was not populated by
well-fed and endearing freeholders, chivalrous knights, and free-thinking
warrior-maidens. And let's not even get started on whether the ... more »

On Wed Sep 26 The Wall Street Journal ran an article titled: "Foreign
Investors Take New Look at Tokyo" on page C10 by K. Narioka
The opening paragraph reads: "Hungry for yield and a haven from Europe's
woes, foreign investors are returning to an asset they once shunned: Tokyo
property. Investors from Singapore state-investment firm Temasek Holdings
Pte Ltd to Goldman Sachs Group Inco are hoping Tokyo office rents, which
have fallen for four years on the back of the global financial crisis, will
rise as as vacancy levels drop"
Majia here: Notice that the article does NOT state tha... more »

*COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Hundreds of Muslims in Bangladesh
burned at least four Buddhist temples and 15 homes of Buddhists on Sunday
after complaining that a Buddhist man had insulted Islam, police and
residents said.*
Members of the Buddhist minority in the Cox's Bazar area in the southeast
of the country said unidentified people were bent on upsetting peaceful
relations between Muslims and Buddhists.
Muslims took to the streets in the area late on Saturday to protest against
what they said was a photograph posted on Facebook that insulted Islam.
The protesters said t... more »

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake has struck COLOMBIA at a depth of 150.4 km (93.5
miles), the quake hit at 16:31:34 UTC Sunday 30th September 2012
The epicenter was 9 km (9.3 miles) WNW of Isnos, Colombia
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

"Conservative activist courts evangelical vote for Romney" by Jo Becker |
New York Times, September 23, 2012
DULUTH, Ga. — Ralph Reed is clearly relishing his *revival*.
Just six years ago, the man who turned the Christian Coalition into such a
powerful political force that he was called ‘‘God’s right-hand man’’ was *all
but written off*, tarnished by his ties to the disgraced lobbyist Jack
Abramoff, then trounced in his campaign to become Georgia’s lieutenant
governor.
*
**Related: **Obama's Justice Delayed*
But after several years in political purgatory, Reed has *found his way b... more »

*If you can bear the video mis-sync, here's the first 8 minutes of Part I
of Mahler's monumental Symphony No. 8, his setting of the medieval hymn "*Veni,
Creator Spiritus*," with Sir Simon Rattle conducting the National Youth
Orchestra of Great Britain (and soloists and choruses too numerous to
mention -- even if I knew who they were) at the 2002 Proms.*
*by Ken*
As I noted in Friday night's preview, there is an unmistakable rupture
between Mahler's Eighth Symphony (which has been saddled with the
unfortunate rubric "Symphony of a Thousand"; yes, it calls for eight vocal
soloists ... more »

*I know who I think will "win," and I'll tell you at the end of the post.*
"2 Democrats face off in California race
Representative Howard Berman of California, the ranking Democrat on the
House ­Foreign Relations ­Committee, has made more than 150 trips abroad
during his three ­decades in Washington.
His opponent in November, Representative Brad Sherman, with more than 15
years in Congress, has traveled mainly within San Fernando Valley, where he
has held more than 150 town hall-style meetings.
In the closely watched *race between two incumbent ­Democrats* — set
against each other ... more »

"Obama works to hold Wisconsin standing" Associated Press, September 23,
2012
MILWAUKEE — It was President Obama’s first visit to Wisconsin since
February, and the president was intent on shoring up support in Paul Ryan’s
home state. *Obama won Wisconsin easily in 2008* and recent polls have him
ahead by single digits, *but Ryan is popular*.
‘‘We’ve always thought that Wisconsin would be harder for us this year than
it was four years ago,’’ said Obama campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki.
In advance of Obama’s visit, Mitt Romney’s campaign made the argument that
Obama’s failure to t... more »

Like a fart in a wind storm, thwap bleats out his opinion into the
blog-o-sphere to contribute to the overall political consciousness.
Barack Obama is a monster. Barack Obama is a corporate shill. Barack Obama
is an enabler of Wall Street corruption. Barack Obama wants to destroy
social security and medicare. Barack Obama is an enemy of the unions and
the working class. But, none of that makes him more intolerable to me than
any other American politician. Mitt Romney is a racist, a sexist
patriarchal asshole, a callous plutocrat, a homophobe and etc., etc., . But
Barack Obama believ... more »

*A tropical storm is sweeping across central Japan with high speed winds
and torrential downpours.*
As a typhoon, Jelawat has already sparked chaos in the south of the
country, injuring more than 100 people, flipping vehicles and causing power
cuts.
This morning it made landfall in the Aichi prefecture with less intensity,
but winds of up to 112mph, and is currently moving up the main island
Honshu and central areas.
The storm is expected to churn northeastwards later in the day, Japan's
Meteorological Agency said.
It warned high waves of up to 10 metres (33ft) could hit islands... more »

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake has struck EAST OF THE VOLCANO ISLANDS at a
depth of 18.6 km (11.6 miles), the quake hit at 15:35:51 UTC Sunday 30th
September 2012
The epicenter was 869 km (540 miles) North from SAIPAN, Northern Mariana
Islands
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

*The smell of decaying cricket carcasses is plaguing several businesses in
a Texan town and they do not seem to be able to get rid of the problem.
*
*
*A bank and a chemist are among the firms struck by the foul odour from the
dead insects that have apparently been trapped inside walls and have also
been found on pavements in Waco.
Bank manager Jani Rodriguez said he had used several scented products to
try and mask the stench in his branch.
The firm has also had the carpets cleaned and covered up openings where
crickets might sneak in, like the small space around its glass doors.
... more »

This wall of foam sparked widespread panic among locals as it rushed along
a river in southern China.
The mass of soapy suds blanketed the water in Xintang, in China's Guangdong
province, leading to evacuations along the banks of the river.
But officials have now said the only threat posed by the foam - thought to
have been caused by chemicals washed into the river - was the possibility
of 'one or two dead fish' lurking in the bubbles.
'Panic': A local man is dwarfed by the mass of suds floating down a river
in southern China
The bizarre scene is thought to have been caused after ... more »

My Salon column this weekend is about the Catch-22 Republicans find
themselves in: the best way to really reclaim their party from the crazy is
to have a successful president who kicks it out, but it's hard to get that
as long as the crazy has such a strong influence on nominations.
Meanwhile, in home news, I've always resisted having a formal comments
policy, and I'm not exactly going to begin now. However, I'll refer
everyone to an admirable statement about comments from Alan Jacobs, a new
blogger over at The American Conservative, which pretty captures what I
think about it. Pare... more »

*(Reuters) - For more than three decades survivors of human rights abuses
in foreign countries have turned to U.S. federal courts to seek justice. On
Monday the U.S. Supreme Court hears a case that could make that impossible.*
The case pits a Nigerian widow against a multinational oil company. Esther
Kiobel and others say Royal Dutch Petroleum (Shell) helped the Nigerian
government commit human rights violations against her husband, who was
executed in 1995. Shell has denied the allegations and argues that cases
involving foreign governments committing atrocities in their own countr... more »

In truth, there is nothing to judge
September 30, 2012 by John Smallman
The river of time — that aspect of the illusion of which many of you are
most conscious — is flowing swiftly and smoothly, carrying you insistently
and unfalteringly along with it towards your divine destination.
Regardless of any doubts or uncertainties that you may harbor your arrival
is assured, divinely assured. Focus on the absolute certainty of that
assurance when doubts or anxieties arise within you, knowing, as you most
definitely do, that your Father’s Love for you is drawing you irresistibly
hom... more »

Don't feel like blogging this weekend, plus it can't be said the level of
participation I've gotten here (which isn't required but *is* welcome and
expected) has been conducive to whatever masochistic muse that inspires
political bloggers. For now, just look at this sign at a recent Romney
rally then check out this story from southern Virginia and remind yourself,
"These lunatics also have the right to vote." I'll see y'all tomorrow...
maybe.

Your beliefs bind you to the illusion
09/30/2012 by John Smallman
The excitement mounts as your awakening draws ever closer. You have been
waiting a long time for this and you will not be disappointed. Some of you
have had so called “peak experiences,” when whatever you were doing flowed
perfectly and at a level of competence or ability that was way beyond what
you would describe as normal. It was uplifting for you, even galvanizing,
because it seemed that you could do no wrong, could do nothing to interrupt
or prevent this energetic flow from delivering the most remarkable ... more »

PressTV
London is allowing British security giant G4S help the Israeli regime in
its violation of the Geneva Conventions on the rights of the victims of war
despite the government’s obligation to protect those rights.
According to corporate accountability campaigners, G4S has a contract with
the Israeli Prison Authority to provide services to several Israeli
detention facilities, including those keeping Palestinian prisoners
transferred from the West Bank, British Labour MP Lisa Nandy wrote in an
article for the *New Statesman*.
Nandy said the British government has confirmed th... more »

*"Forbes 400 List Reveals Why the Greedy Rich *
*Fully Deserve Your Contempt - And Jesus’s"*
By Lynn Parramore
"Last week, as you were treated to Mitt Romney’s contempt for nearly half
the country, Forbes Magazine published its annual list of the 400
wealthiest Americans. The list reveals that Bill Gates is still the top
dog, boasting a whopping $66 billion fortune. Warren Buffett, Michael
Bloomberg, various members of the Walton family, and the Koch brothers are
all in the top 10. Mark Zuckerberg hung on, despite the evaporation of a
big chunk of his wealth. Spanx founder Sa... more »

Guardian
Ian Birrell
He's the tough-on-crime Republican radically overhauling the criminal
justice system – with rehabilitation programmes
I am getting the biggest bang possible for taxpayers’ bucks while
achieving something positive for society”: Judge Robert Francis.
The motley gaggle of miscreants shuffles into the court, lining up silently
in three rows on the benches. There are some 20 of them, men and women of
all ages, most with long records of theft, violence and weapons misuse, and
all with hardcore drug problems. I am passed their court biographies; the
top one describe... more »

The Conservatives aren't happy about it, but Omar Khadr has come home. They
have done everything in their power to avoid this outcome. John Ibbitson
writes this morning:
Not only did the Harper government continue its predecessors’ policy of not
assisting Mr. Khadr’s efforts to return to Canada, they made it abundantly
clear that he could languish in Guantanamo for the rest of his life, as far
as they were concerned.
For the Harperites, when it comes to crime and punishment, there is no such
thing as extenuating circumstances. Justice is delivered from on high; and
sentences a... more »

Project Censored
Andy Lee Roth
The initial US response to the deadly attack on the nation’s Libyan embassy
includes deploying spies, Marines, and drones. Currentreports indicate that
US drones operating in Libyan airspace will be limited to surveillance. But
the decision to deploy them in this highly volatile situation ought to
force American citizens to reflect on a somber* *anniversary. It warns
against* *believing that drones provide* *a costless way* *to curb* *our
terrorist enemies.
Americans should remember September 30, 2011, the day that drones unleashed
by the* *CIA and J... more »

Global Research
Nile Bowie
The sectarian violence in Myanmar’s western state of Arakan began in June
2012, and the plight of the persecuted Rohingya ethnic group has since
created an international uproar. Displays of solidarity with the
predominantly Muslim Rohingya people have been most potent throughout the
Islamic world, with a broad spectrum of support ranging from moderate
political leaders to extremist groups.
While rights advocacy groups robustly condemn Myanmar’s government for its
role in the conflict, evidence suggests that the overwhelming majority of
violence was attri... more »

*Did 120 kms today to Guguan and back. Lovely skies and a strong tailwind
made the ride a joy.*
Too busy to blog today, so enjoy a few links:
- Taiwan Plastics Machinery is big in world markets
- Taiwan 4th for investment in world, says BERI
- Taiwan can still make a comeback.
- Labor Minister quits after defeat on minimum wage.
- Central Cross: Taiwan's toughest climb featured in magazine
- The Bushman: Taiwan from the Air, revisited. Succulent pics of
nighttime Taiwan
- Ben with great post on Ma and the Senkakus, don't miss the information
at the bottom... more »

*US inundates terrorist legions with cash and support after regional
embassy attacks and death of own ambassador.*
Tony Cartalucci, *Contributor*
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that the US would be
providing an additional $45 million in "non-lethal aid" to the "opposition"
in Syria, reported the Associated Press. The Western press chose their
words carefully, ensuring that the term "civilian opposition" was
repeatedly used to describe the armed terrorist forces attempting to
violently overthrow the Syrian government.
*Image: Libyan Mahdi al-Harati of the US State... more »

Elizabeth Renter
Dopamine is the brain’s feel good chemical, sending feelings of well-being
and pleasure into your body. In addition to simply making you feel good,
dopamine helps control weight, energy levels, and supports brain and heart
health. Without it, we would be more fat, unhappy, and tired.
But if you know how to increase dopamine levels, you can take advantage of
this feel good chemical on command. The best part? You can increase
dopamine levels just by eating certain foods.
Fat, unhappy, and tired—those words seem to fit many Americans quite well.
Fortunately, boost... more »

"Presstitute"
Anthony Freda Art Paul Craig Roberts, *Contributor*
In my last column, “A Culture of Delusion,” I wrote that “Americans live in
a matrix of lies. Lies dominate every policy discussion, every political
decision.” This column will use two top news stories, Iranian nukes and
Julian Assange, to illustrate how lies become “truth.”
The western Presstitute media uses every lie to demonize the Iranian
government. On September 28 in a fit of unmitigated ignorance, the UK rag,
Mail Online, called the president of Iran a “dictator.” The Iranian
presidency is an office filled by... more »

*Doesn't look like it is going to cost him in Colorado, Pennsylvania, or
Ohio....*
"Obama’s stance on natural gas carries risks" by Christopher Rowland |
Globe Staff, September 27, 2012
LONGMONT, Colo. — President *Obama’s plan to boost domestic drilling for
natural gas* carries the *promise of new jobs* and provides a convenient
pivot away from his lurching bid to transform America’s energy economy with
wind and solar power.
*
**As someone once said, leave me alone don't want your promises no more.*
Yet in pockets of the nation, including the communities around Colorado’s
pristi... more »

Lisa Garber
Effortlessly clean up your town’s polluted air with your favorite pair of
jeans – that is what is trying to be done. If this sounds too good to be
true, it’s because it is.
“CatClo,” a liquid laundry additive with titanium dioxide nanoparticles, is
the collaborative work of the University of Sheffield and the London
College of Fashion. All your clothes would need is one cycle with this
additive—because the nanoparticles very stubbornly stick to the fabrics—to
remove pollutants like nitrogen oxide in the air and oxidize them in the
fabric.
The University of Sheffiel... more »

If you're starting to follow this whole politics thing that they're talking
about on the TV, you may be hearing the word "triage." We talked a little
about it last Tuesday. In the Rachel clip from Thursday night-- interrupted
by a commercial and then finished up on the show but, alas, not on the
MSNBC website-- she mentioned how the DCCC is cutting lose hapless loser
and Blue Dog Larry Kissell (NC) and how the NRCC had pulled the plug on
deadbeat dad Joe Walsh (IL), hopelessly gerrymandered old timer Roscoe
Bartlett (MD), goofy teabagger Frank Guinta (NH) and on organized crime
fi... more »

Search This Blog

Translate

Microsoft Translate

opit or oldephartte's shared items

About Me

I've been 'around' for a few years now, pursuing the shifting goal of a sharable home-made surfers resource site focused on ease of use and variety of mostly adult ( whoa : I didn't say prurient ) content.